2012 at a Glance

I will try to recap 2012 by giving a brief review of our visitors and this year.  We enjoyed everyone who came to see us.  

Taylor and Kate made their second trip to see us. This time we were able to travel to Washington, DC
 and see the famous cherry blossoms on the Washington Mall.  It was beautiful.

A stroll through Central Park

Lindsey, Adam, Alina, and Anna
were also able to visit us again.
We love the Bronx Zoo.

We catch either the "R" or the "M" train at our subway station.

Stan's bother, Don, and sister, Tanya, came for a visit.  We were able to go to PA
where the Kauffmans lived for several generations.

There's nothing like getting up earlier and going to the Today show and trying to be on camera.

The Japanese artist, Tatzu Nishi, came to NYC and built a 810 Sq. Ft. "living room"
around the statue of Columbus enabling visitors to climb six stories and get a "birds' eye" view of the
120 year old, 13 ft. marble statue of Christopher Columbus on the southwest corner of Central Park.
(Most of you would recognize this as the statue at Columbus Circle.)

We were delighted to have Dallin have a long layover at JFK in early December.
He was on his way to Kyrgyzstan for an educational conference.

While I was in Utah in July the Bangerter family arrived just a
few days before I left.  It was great to be able to get together for a visit.

I went to Utah in July to help take care of our new little Blythe (Bebe).
She is the daughter of Don and Janey.
Here she is with her brother, Dmitri, and Great Grandma Simmons too.  Bebe was
born June 18, 2012 and was our eleventh grandchild, eighth granddaughter.

When I grow up, I want to be like my mom, Great Grandma Simmons.
She does sleepovers at 80! 

In August Stan and I were able to make a trip west together.  We stopped in Arizona first
and visited with family there.  Stan especially enjoyed being able to spend time with his grandchildren.
It is sooo hard to get enough time with them. (These are David and Jessica's children.)

Garrett is adorable.  What more can I say.

After we left Arizona we went to Utah.  We had a fun Grandpa and Grandma date with Aubrey
and Camron's girls; Cassidy (L), Makenzie (M), and Kylie (R).
(Unfortunately, Cade was sick on this day.)

We took the girls on a long ride to the mountains to see Howard and Gwen Haglund's "cabin".

We liked this unique sign. It said, "SLOW, Baby Ground Chucks PLAYING."

(Unfortunately, we could not see any baby woodchucks playing.)

Stan with Howard Haglund at the "cabin".

Enjoying a few hours at Trafalga with the Hill family.

We joyed having dinner with Don, Janey, Dima, and Bebe.

Dmitri is three now.

Dallin and Whitlie had Brynlee Angela Kauffman on August 11, 2012.
Brynlee was our twelfth grandchild and our ninth granddaughter.

The cousins - Brynlee (L) and Blythe (R) are exactly two months apart in age.
They should have fun growing up together.

The cousin duo turned into a cousin trio when Page Elaine Bangerter was born October 18, 2012. She is the daughter of Lindsey and Adam Bangerter.  Page became our tenth granddaughter and and thirteenth grandchild.
(I was able to go and help Lindsey with the baby for a week at the end of October.)

It was fun to be in Kansas for Lindsey's birthday as well as be
with our little "Dorthy" and the "Lion" at Halloween time.
Stan and I drove to Kansas for Thanksgiving.
Gratefully, the weather was perfect for the 1, 328 miles each way.

My nephew, Andrew Simmons,  and his wife, Lucy, had a great trip to NYC in June.

My cousin, Doug Simmons, and his wife, Cindy, and daughter, Shannon
visited us in June.  We had a lovely evening at a Jazz concert and a dinner.

Doug and Cindy's friend and jazz performer, Judy Carmichael.

My cousin, Sue Martin, and her husband, Chad, used our apartment as their home base while they

attended the US Open in late August. Although we were in Utah at the time we were grateful they felt comfortable

putting our apartment to good use while we were gone. 

.(This is actually a picture of us in their home earlier in the year. They live in Alexandria, Virginia.)

Ben & Megan Geilman were living in Philadelphia and came to enjoy another outing to NYC.
 (Ben's family lived in Cedar Hills and our children were friends with their family.)

Jack and Ronda Rose were in here to speak at a conference for the deaf over in Manhattan. 
(We have known Jack and Ronda many years through the Seminaries and Institute [S&I].)    

The Sackett family came to take in some musicals. 
(They are also a S & I family we have known for years.)   

Christie Sowby, Tiffany Delgado, Desiree Gonzalez, and Valerie were BYU students 

who needed a place to stay while they attended a MTNA National Conference in Manhattan.  

It was great to be able to meet and help these terrific young women.
(Stan taught Christie's older brothers and sisters years ago.)

We met Hannah Fuller and her parents and little sister in November of 2011.  

Hannah returned to NYC to finish checking out the modeling profession.  

She ultimately decided not to do modeling here.

Dave and Janette Ridges were finishing up their mission at 

Southern Virginia University Institute and decided to visit a few

other places here in the east before returning home to Utah.
(Dave taught at the Orem Institute of Religion with Stan.)

Marianne and Kabir became our new friends when they needed a place

to stay while they checked out housing.  Kabir is doing his residency at a hospital in the Bronx.
(Marianne and Kabir attended Sue and Chad Martin's ward in Virginia.)

We were pleased when Jeremiah Clark finally brought his wife, Rachel, for a visit with us.  

(Jeremiah is Stan's Area Director.)

Jay and LeAnna Steineckert asked us if their daughter, Alli, could stay with us a few

nights while she found herself a more permanent place to stay.  We are so glad to know her.
(Jay and Stan knew each other from their missions in Australia.)

Nathan and Sandy Lewis had an east coast adventure and included us in their itinerary.  (Nathan and Stan worked together at the Orem Institute of Religion.)

Nathan and Sandy Lewis had an east coast adventure and included us in their itinerary. 

(Nathan and Stan worked together at the Orem Institute of Religion.)

Varalyn Reza's daughter, Krishna Womack, needed a place to stay
before she was off to her new college experience.
(Varalyn was one of Stan's first students back in California in the early '80's.)

John and Ruth McAtee with their boys and a friend, Kristen Echols, used our apartment as a

base for their NYC adventures.  So grateful they felt comfortable asking.
(The McAtee's live in Cedar Hills, Utah.)

The Dwight Durrant Family.
(Dwight also works for S&I and was the director at Yale before
moving back to Cedar Hills, Utah.  His father, George Durrant,
performed the marriages of David and Jessica Kauffman and Dallin and Whitlie Kauffman.)

Jill Jackson and Malory Murphey enjoyed some adventures here in
late July and early August.  (Jill and her family have been friends of our family since the
mid 1990's and Malory was one of Stan's former students from UVU.) 

Joe and Whitney Baxter took in New York City together before settling into
studying for an advance degree at Penn State. (Whitney has been friends of our family since she and Lindsey were in Junior High together.  Stan also taught
her older siblings in seminary at American Fork High School.)    

Michael Owen is the brother-in-law to our son-in-law, Adam Bangerter.  Michael and his friends came from Boston to help with the Sandy Hurricane cleanup.  They stayed in our apartment.

President and Sister Nelson and missionary couples gathered last spring in 

our apartment for a social.  Most of these couples have gone home and are

now replaced with new missionaries.  Stan serves as a counselor to the Mission Presidency. 
One of the best parts of being here and associated with the New York New York South Mission 
is the opportunity we have to rub shoulders with great people like this.

Of course our lives are filled with our involvement with Stan's institute students.

They are a delight to know and be with.  They are the reason we are here.

We were able to enjoy an inspiring husband and wife inservice in

West Virginia in October.  We are blessed with good employment, health, family,
and wonderful associations with people from all over the world.   

There are two pictures I wish I had to complete this year.  The first is of Kelli Searle and Kalynn Coy who used our apartment as a refuge one evening in October when they found out their hotel was over booked.  (Kelli's father works for S&I and called us to see if we could help out. The timing of connecting on such last minute notice was a miracle.  I have their picture in our book, but I cannot seem to find the electronic copy to add it here.)  The second picture would be one of the sisters in the Relief Society of the Rego Park 1st Ward.  I serve as the Relief Society President and have come to love these sisters. I spend much of my time serving them.  The electronic picture I have of them was scanned from a print so this program will not accept it.  I will have to be sure and take one on my camera and include it in one of my future blogs.)